Travel Guides

Elephanta Caves

Located on Elephanta Island, in the Arabian Sea off the coast of
Mumbai, the Elephanta Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an
absolute must for visitors to Mumbai. The island can be reached by
an hour long boat ride from the Gateway of India pier. The caves
feature Shaivistic (the oldest of the four sects of Hindusm)
stone sculptures of Hindu deities important to worshippers of
Shiva. Many of the sculptures in the caves were unfortunately
defaced by the Portuguese who, in the 17th century, used the
sculptures for target practice. However, there is still lots of
intricate and impressive art to see. Visitors arrive and step off
the ferry to walk through a gauntlet of vendors selling all sorts
of food and trinkets. It is possible to take a ride on a small
train to get to the cave site, or to be carried up in chairs. The
other option is simply to walk. Each year, in February, the
Elephanta Dance Festival is held outside the caves with lots of
local dance troupes performing. The island can get very crowded on
weekends and public holidays so it is best to go during the week if
possible.